


...Is a Piece of You

by bekindplsrewind



Series: A/part [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, M/M, Post Series, Slight swearing, mention of masturbation, mention of sexual content, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:28:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25722850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bekindplsrewind/pseuds/bekindplsrewind
Summary: Reacclimatising to the life of a regular college student proves challenging for Adam, especially having to balance it with school, having a social life, and work. Stress, tuition fees, and sickness are everyday issues he now faces alone--at least he thinks they are.
Relationships: Michael/Adam Milligan
Series: A/part [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795276
Comments: 56
Kudos: 53





	1. A Test of Faith

**Author's Note:**

> heya, guys! i decided to write this little fic in full before posting. it was challenging, but i managed to somehow write this really quickly?? [it is a wee thing, though :')] this follows the timestamp with adam's newfound independence with his life. i find this in between being a timestamp and a regular ficlet, just bc the content isn't explicitly important to adam and michael's story, but it DOES hit on some very heavy things that will pop up later. hopefully you enjoy :).
> 
> thank you to everyone who have been enjoying and shown interest to my random and sporadic fic live bloggings on this story! [i had no idea you guys were actually reading them... ahaha... :'D]
> 
> a big thank you to kat [[fantastikitty7](https://fantastikitty7.tumblr.com/)] for the beta read! GUYS, YOU BETTER THANK HER, BC SHE SIGNED HER SOUL OVER TO THIS MIDAM SERIES FOR REASONS I HAVE YET TO COMPREHEND. D: this fic is so much more polished, seriously, thank you!  
> and as always, dylan!! [[thewaywardgryffindor](https://thewaywardgryffindor.tumblr.com/)] for the beta, encouragement, support, and always listening to me moan and complain, lol. thank you!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael makes a suggestion that has the both of them reexamining and testing the strength of their relationship.

Adam’s lungs and throat burned as he coughed into the crook of his arm, his vision blurring as tears sprang to his eyes.

“Dude, that doesn’t sound good. You should get that checked out,” Adam’s roommate said from across the room, reclining comfortably in bed with his phone in his face.

Adam’s hacking finally subsided enough for him to take a slow and shallow breath as he put a hand to his chest and wiped at his eyes. Sitting at his desk, he glanced over his shoulder and forced a smile. “I’ve got reinforcements: Nyquil, Tylenol, and Neocitran. I’ll be good in no time. My immune system just needs a little catching up.”

“Yeah, well it isn’t helping my sleep much.”

“Sorry, Hector,” Adam said sincerely, brows bowing.

Hector glanced at him warily before setting his phone down on his nightstand and waving him off. “Yeah, whatever. ‘Night!” He put on his noise cancelling headphones and rolled over, facing away from him.

With a sigh, Adam took a swig of Nyquil from the bottle and shut off his lamp before shuffling to bed. He drifted off to sleep when the antihistamines kicked in several painful minutes later, finally putting his little coughing fits to rest.

He had a vague awareness that he was dreaming when he found himself lying in bed back in his old studio apartment, but he didn’t think too much about it until he heard a knock at the door. He pushed himself up by the elbows as it swung open and watched himself walk in.

“Michael…?” he asked, unsure if he was the real deal or just a dream version of the archangel, having appeared in several dreams before. His eyes followed Michael as he approached the bed, sitting next to him on the edge of the mattress.

There was that familiar and gentle fondness in Michael’s eyes as he smiled at him. “Yes, it’s me, Adam.”

Adam pushed forward and sat up abruptly. “Really? You’re you-you and not dream-you?”

Michael tilted his head and chuckled at him softly. “It’s me-me.”

“You’re here…” Adam breathed, beaming brightly.

Michael’s gaze trailed over his head distractedly. “Your hair. It’s lighter.”

“Ah, yeah,” Adam patted some odd tufts down, “it gets blonder during the summer. Spent a little more time outdoors.” He smiled. “Right, you’ve never seen it like this before, considering hell doesn’t have seasons. Or a sun.”

Michael reached out and gingerly carded his fingers through Adam’s hair, the subtle touch leaving Adam’s scalp buzzing. His fingers trailed down to the side of his face, his thumb contouring his cheek. Adam closed his eyes and gasped quietly as he leaned into his touch before slowly peering back up at him.

Smiling softly, Adam curled his hand over Michael’s and ran his fingers up towards his wrist. His eyes widened and he perked up. “…I can touch you.” He immediately proceeded with placing a palm flat against Michael’s chest. “Holy shit! You’re solid!” Michael laughed. Not wasting another moment, Adam lurched forward and wrapped Michael into a fierce hug, resting his chin on top of his shoulder. Michael smoothed firm hands over his back. “I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again.” He gritted his teeth as he fought the urge to cry. “I missed you so much.”

“And I, you,” Michael replied.

With some reluctance, Adam gradually pulled away and sat back across from him.

“How are things?” Michael asked, observing him carefully.

“Well,” furrowing his brows, Adam tucked his legs into a cross-legged position and rested his hands on his knees, “I haven’t been in school for long, but between homework, studying, and having a part-time job, I’ve been busy.”

“You’re working?”

“Yeah, at the campus bookstore. I need to save up for next year’s tuition. I mean, getting scholarships has already taken a load off, but once I get into med school, they won’t be enough to cover it all. At least I won’t have to worry about having too much debt once I graduate.” He smiled. “But other than that, I’ve met some new people. It’s been, uh, both nice and interesting.”

“How so?” Michael asked.

“Aside from the social integration, which I do enjoy, I just…” Adam sighed, “I don’t understand a lot of their references. I feel really old. I _am_ really old.”

Michael smiled. “I’d hardly call you old.”

“Okay, maybe not compared to _you,_ but to them, I’m old. I might not look it, but I am. Just seeing them being so carefree and young and… full of life—Jesus, I’m starting to sound like my mom.”

Michael chuckled softly.

“So on top of school and work, I have eleven years of media to catch up on. And, _and_ , getting reacclimated with being a normal functioning human.”

Michael tilted his head at him inquisitively.

“The whole bodily functions?” Adam made a sweeping gesture at his torso. “Annoying and inconvenient at the most inappropriate times. Peeing five times a day is just too much, getting sick is gross and painful, and I literally feel like I’m going through puberty again. I seriously don’t remember being this horny before.”

“Oh?” Michael raised a brow, clearly amused by this. “Do you get aroused often?”

“All. The. Fucking. _Time,”_ Adam replied, deadpan.

“Do you have ways to remedy…” Michael gestured vaguely in the air, “‘this’?”

Adam felt his face flush with heat. “Uh, having a roommate doesn’t allow me the luxury to jerk-off whenever I want, so it’s either I get lucky in the showers when no one’s around or I wait for when he’s out late. Most of the time I just keep busy and distracted with schoolwork.” Despite sharing a body for over a millennia and making love to Michael, talking about how often (or little) he masturbated wasn’t something he ever wanted to discuss openly with him, let alone with anyone else.

“Hmm,” Michael hummed, as if on a speculative note.

“‘Hmm’? There is nothing to ‘hmm’ about here,” Adam said, dreading what he was going to follow that up with. “Please, can we stop talking about my lack of self-care already?”

“Have you considered—”

“There’s nothing to consider!”

“—having sex?”

Adam glowered at him. “Ha ha, very funny. Hard to do when you’re on another plane of existence.”

Michael sighed softly and hesitated before speaking, “I mean, with someone else.”

Adam was too stunned to say anything. “Michael, what the fuck. Are you… are you _serious_ right now?”

“I’m no longer with you, so I can understand your body’s needs,” Michael said, like he was casually reading off a grocery list.

Adam pressed his lips together into a frown. “So… so you’re telling me that you’d be okay if I have sex with someone else?”

“I’m giving you a pass. If you were ever tempted, I wouldn’t blame you for acting on it.”

 _“‘Tempted’?”_ Adam blinked at him incredulously. “It’s not like I don’t have any self control, Michael. Do you not trust me to be faithful to you?” His frown deepened as he searched his face.

“Of _course_ I do.” Michael looked at him sharply; the offence Adam had committed was on himself. Michael would take no ill will or judgement of Adam’s character, even if _Adam_ was the one doing it. And Adam knew that. “Adam,” Michael sighed, “there is no way of telling when I can see you. I barely made it out today.”

Suddenly, it became clear to him what Michael’s intentions were. “If this is your invitation to having an open relationship, it’s not for me. I’m only committed to one person— _you._ People nowadays have long distance relationships all the time. O-or I can look at this like you’re in the military, away on a tour.”

“Except that I’m not. Their tours end; they eventually go home. People who have long distance relationships either end up moving to be closer together, or they don't work out. I’m stuck in my position for _eternity_ , and I can’t go home to you.”

Adam lowered his gaze sullenly. From believing he’d never see Michael again, to now having him in front of him and knowing there would be future meetings, however few they were, was enough. Spending any amount of time with Michael would be worth it. “Do you really think you can get rid of me that easily?” Adam raised his eyes to him with a cocked brow. “I guess I’ll just have to resign myself to a life of celibacy, then,” he said with a shrug of indifference. If Michael didn’t think of himself as someone who was worth waiting for, Adam would fight for it to make him see that he was.

Michael blinked. Adam could practically see the cloud of confusion roll over his eyes. “I was trying to give you a more viable option.”

“By what? Having me sleep with people I’m not interested in? No, thanks.”

“I don’t want you wasting your life on the notion that I could be returning. It might be weeks, months, or _years_ before you see me again.”

“You think I’m just gonna be sitting around waiting for you like a dog? Uh, no. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m a full-time, pre-med student. I barely have time as it is. If it’ll take years, by then, I’ll be busy being a doctor, saving _lives.”_

“You’ll get lonely.”

“I’ll get a dog.”

“Getting a dog won’t fulfill all your needs.”

“I’ve already got that covered. See this?” Adam raised his right hand. “Best lover till senior year. I feel like we’re back pedalling, here.”

“Why are you so stubborn? You’re just making things more difficult for yourself.”

“Easy answer: because the love of my life is away fixing heaven and he’s worth waiting for.”

For once, Michael had nothing to say in return as he stared at him. His gaze gravitated to the rumpled sheets, like he was searching for the words that were hidden there. “I don’t want you holding back from life on account of me,” he said softly, meeting Adam’s eyes. “On missed opportunities, having a family—real happiness.”

Adam shook his head. “You’re not. And I promise you, I’ll live my life to the fullest. If I want a family one day, I’ll adopt a dog.” He smiled. “Hey, maybe I’ll adopt a kid later. Who’s to say?” he said with a shrug. “I already know what real happiness is like, and it was with my mom, and it’s with you. I know you just want to look out for me, but don’t worry. I’ll be okay.”

Michael stared at him silently, intense and pensive. Adam could feel the love exuding from him, and it was enough to make him blush.

“But enough about me. What about you? How’s heaven?”

Michael shook his head and let out a long and extended breath. “At this point, I’m amazed it’s still standing.”

“Uh, that bad, huh?”

“You have no idea. The amount of _work_ I have to do just to keep it running.”

“Am I… taking up your time?” Adam asked carefully, frowning. He balled the sheets in his hands and played with the folds, his body bowed forward and taut.

“No,” Michael smiled at him reassuringly, “if it’s managed without me for the past ten years, it’ll be fine without me for a couple of hours.”

“Okay.” Adam’s smile was small and filled with relief. He sighed softly, the tension in his body leaving. “So, what kind of heavenly duties does the Viceroy do?”

“Restructuring and rebuilding areas on the verge of collapse; expansion to accommodate the growing number of souls. Among other things.”

“So, essentially, you’re a glorified handyman,” Adam grinned, “a super with wings.” Michael rolled his eyes and sighed. “Hey, is there plumbing in heaven? Unclog balls of feathers from any drains lately?”

“Very funny,” Michael replied, dryly.

Adam clasped his hands underneath his chin and smiled sweetly. “Thank you.” Michael rolled his eyes again but couldn’t help but smile. “But seriously, what about the other angels? Don’t they do anything to help?”

“There are very few remaining, one angel generally taking on the work of one hundred. Even without sleep, the stress of it all is taking a toll on them. I’ve sent a call to the fallen angels remaining on earth to return, but many refuse to, or have gone into hiding.”

Adam nodded slowly. “And new angels? More are being created, though, right?”

“Yes, but it’s a slow process. With the rate of souls entering heaven, the difference is next to nothing.”

“Is there a way to speed that up?”

“I’m the only one qualified enough to create them.”

“‘Qualified’. Meaning, there _are_ others who can, but…?”

“There are, but their intentions would cause creations of abnormalities. Amara is a being of darkness. Her power is great, but she can’t bring angels into existence if she tried. They’d be tainted. And Jack—”

Adam’s eyes widened. “Jack? Wait, he can do that?”

“You’ve seen what he’s capable of. He’s a nephilim. A child. And yet, the power he carries is remarkable and unwieldy, and will only continue to grow. He is far too young and inexperienced for something of this nature.”

“Couldn’t you, like, train him?”

Michael looked less than impressed, as if his expression were silently asking Adam, ‘You’re kidding me, right?’

“No, no, hear me out! He’s young and impressionable, and he just needs the right guidance. He could learn a lot if you took him under your wing. Figuratively and literally.”

“Adam…” Michael shook his head and sighed.

“Does this have to do with angel politics?”

“Yes. And…”

Adam frowned. “Because he’s a nephilim.”

Michael stared back at him, his silence a resounding affirmation. “He shouldn’t exist.”

“He helped save the world. He helped you.”

“Still, he’s an abomination.”

“Because you were told that? Because he’s Lucifer’s son? He didn’t ask for this. He was just born.” Adam frowned. “My father was John Winchester. Does that make me more of a Winchester?”

“You’re not,” Michael replied firmly.

“Sam and Dean chose to follow the life of hunters. And despite our shared blood, that isn’t me. I’m a Milligan, through and through. I know where I stand because of the woman who raised me.” Adam watched him carefully. “I can’t convince you otherwise, but all I’m saying is, we’ve been made to believe a lot of things that turned out to be lies.”

Michael was silent for an extended beat before exhaling softly. “Speaking of the woman who raised you, I went to see her.”

Adam’s whole energy changed, a silent undercurrent of nerves in the guise of a calm exterior. “You… you did?” He swallowed. “Is she okay? Is she safe?”

“She’s well.” Michael smiled softly. “Would you like me to show you?”

Adam’s brows bowed as he nodded rigorously, unable to make a sound with the growing lump in his throat.

“Close your eyes.”

Adam’s lids fell shut and he felt the light touch of Michael’s fingers on his temples. Gradually, through the void of black, the vision of a bright garden appeared in front of his eyes before the form of his mother took shape. Adam felt his pulse quicken.

“Tell me what you’d like to say to him. I’ll make sure he sees it,” Adam heard Michael say.

Kate was looking right at him as she nodded, the familiar wrinkles of her frown creasing her forehead. She blinked her tears back as she composed herself and took a big breath. “Hi, Adam.” She smiled at him happily, her eyes wet and shiny.

 _Mom!_ he screamed in his mind.

“Don’t worry, honey, I’m all right. I’m in my own little heaven.” She gestured around her with a laugh. “I hear you’ve done great things. I’m so proud of you, baby,” she said as the tears slid down her cheeks. “I love you, _so_ much. I always knew you were going to do good things with your life. I miss you like crazy.”

_I miss you, too!_

“Take care of yourself, hon. I love you…” Adam watched as the smiling vision of his mother slowly dissolved before him, leaving him with darkness.

He opened his eyes to see Michael watching him carefully. His face crumpled as he grasped Michael into a hug, arms winding tightly around his neck. “Thank you,” he managed between sobs, his voice straining, “…thank you.” Michael cradled him in his arms until Adam had calmed down. Adam pulled away just enough so they were facing each other again, Michael resorting to gently wiping the tears away from under his eyes. They sat in silence with their foreheads pressed together.

“Adam,” Michael said softly, “it’s morning now. Your alarm is about to go off.”

“No!” Adam moaned, shaking his head. “Just a little longer. Stay with me like this.”

Michael cupped the side of Adam’s face as his wings enveloped them. Adam felt the warmth of Michael’s love bloom from his core, radiating outward through each of his limbs. “Michael…” Adam raised his face to him, just enough so he could look into his eyes, “I miss you already.”

Michael smiled at him softly. “I’ll always be there for you, Adam.”

Nodding, Adam blinked back the tears that threatened to fall again and brushed his lips to Michael’s in a kiss. Their foreheads lay pressed together again as Michael tenderly cradled Adam’s face between his hands.

“I love you,” Adam breathed. Another pulse of warmth had him swaddled in a net of safety and peace as the faint cries of his alarm penetrated his dream; the touch of Michael’s hands slowly faded.

Adam opened his eyes gradually, still coasting on the feeling of Michael’s love and the faint wisps of ghost feathers brushing the skin of his arms. He turned off his alarm and stretched, noticing the burn in his throat and lungs had all but vanished and he could finally _breathe_. He stared at the sunlight that seeped through his window, and for once, in a long time, he could say he was genuinely happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for reading!
> 
> of course they were going to see each other again, you couldn't keep these two apart if you tried :').
> 
> some more of my headcanons: in the dream state, it's more on par with them being on the astral realm, so adam, also projecting his 'astral body' there, can touch michael. :)
> 
> having them kiss here was something i've kinda... debated and felt a little odd abt writing, being that adam is pretty much kissing a clone lookalike of himself, lol. BUT, see the thing is, with him living so long in the cage and seeing michael in his form, he's pretty much associated michael to looking like that. he probably doesn't even remember how he looks like himself [no mirrors in hell, right?]. what also separates michael from looking like adam so drastically is how he carries himself and his mannerisms, as well as the fact that adam is looking at michael not as a reflection as he sees HIMSELF in the mirror. looking at a reflection vs looking at an actual person [where the sides are 'flipped'] changes how the person is perceived DRASTICALLY. [i read an article on this abt if one were to time travel back and met themself, they wouldn't recognise them as themself bc of this factor. it was really interesting!]
> 
> if you've enjoyed it, consider leaving a kudos or comment :). and if you aren't aware, this is part of a series! to keep up with my posts, you can either ask me to tag you on tumblr, subscribe to this fic or me, or bookmark and subscribe to the series [A/part](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795276). there are two more stories after this one, that i'm aware of :D.
> 
> come yell and holler at me on my tumblr! [seagullmichael](https://seagullmichael.tumblr.com/)


	2. 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam receives an unexpected and unlikely gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heya, guys! i hope y'all are enjoying my little series so far! there's just one more chapter before this one ends! and i still have to outline the next part of the story, LOL! D:
> 
> big, BIG thanks to kat [[fantastikitty7](https://fantastikitty7.tumblr.com/)] for the beta! <3

“Honey, can you get the Snickers salad out of the cooler?” Kate was busy setting down paper plates and cutlery on the park bench where there was already an assemblage of food waiting.

“‘Kay, mom,” Adam said as he headed to the car. He held the cellophane covered bowl in his hands as he made his way back to her, only to see he was already seated at the bench. He stopped short when the other version of himself turned to look at him and smiled.

“Adam, why don’t you take a seat across from Michael?” Kate casually suggested, like this was an everyday occurrence.

“Uh, okay.” Seating himself at one end, he put down the salad and looked down the bench. Family friends were helping themselves to food as they chatted amicably.

“This is nice,” Michael said.

Adam faced him with surprise. “Michael?”

“Am I usually in these types of settings with your family and friends? It’s rather domestic.”

Adam blushed. He was glad Michael had entered this dream instead of one of the more intimate ones he had with him. “I didn’t think I’d see you so soon.”

Michael smiled. “I came bearing gifts.” He pulled out a black velvet pouch from his pocket and set it down in front of him. “Happy birthday,” he said, pushing it towards him.

Adam widened his eyes briefly before glancing downward with a sheepish smile. “Right. It’s my birthday,” he said, matter-of-factly.

“You forgot?” Michael frowned.

Adam peered back up at him. “I’ve been busy, and I wasn’t planning on doing anything anyway. I… I don’t exactly have anyone I’d like to spend it with.”

Michael said nothing as he watched him, the slightest furrow touching his brow.

Adam smiled cheerfully. “Anyway, can I open this?”

“Please.” Michael’s expression softened into a small smile, though he retained his careful gaze.

Adam pulled the drawstring and peaked inside before turning the bag over, spilling the contents out into his palm. They were jagged and rough-hewn rocks, some areas black, some dull, but with hidden iridescent colours that sparkled at the right angle. “Oh, uh. Cool rocks. Thanks.” It was an odd gift, he had to admit, but this was coming from an archangel, after all. Maybe they were given as a gesture to show affection, he thought. It reminded him of when he used to play with rocks as a kid and how he would find ‘really cool looking ones’ to give to his mom. It made him smile. He thought it was cute.

He rolled them around in his hand before funnelling them back into the pouch. When he looked up, Michael had vanished. Only then did he notice how quiet it was. He glanced down the bench to find everyone else gone, too. Then the screeching and jarring wails of his alarm disrupted the silence.

Adam opened his eyes and groggily reached over to his nightstand, effectively shutting it off as he slapped the entire screen of his phone. Lying on his side, he closed his eyes again as he recalled his dream. It was his birthday today. But had Michael really visited him? He rolled over and immediately jolted with pain as his hip jabbed something hard and lumpy.

“Ah! The fu—?” He peeked beneath his raised blanket and pulled out a black velvet pouch.

“They’re uncut gemstones.”

Adam glanced over his shoulder to see Michael sitting at the foot of his bed. “Michael?” He sat up, looked at the pouch clutched in his hand, then back at him. “They’re what?”

“Gemstones,” Michael repeated, coolly. He glanced across the room at the lump that was Adam’s sleeping roommate, having rudely interrupted him with a soundful snort. “They’ll help pay for your tuition,” he said, turning back to Adam.

Adam smiled. “Should I be calling you my sugar daddy, now?” he teased, lowering his voice. “I really appreciate you looking out for me, but I can’t pay my tuition with these; I need money for that.”

“You can sell them.”

Adam scratched the back of his head. “Uh, I really wouldn’t know where to start with that.”

Michael smirked. “I’ll show you.”

* * *

“So, what does an archangel know about gemstone appraisals?” Adam tossed the sac up before snatching it mid air. They were in the heart of the city, Adam having googled up the location for the jeweller as they approached the storefront.

“Enough,” Michael replied easily, his hands nestled in his pockets.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Adam said, pushing through the door. “I’m missing my morning classes because of this.” He hefted the pouch in his hand and fumbled it, nearly dropping the thing onto the hard floor. Righting himself up, he noticed the man behind the counter staring at him warily. Adam felt his face flush as he cleared his throat and approached him. “Um, hi. I called about the appraisals?”

“Ah,” the man smiled and adjusted his glasses, “let’s take a look, shall we?” Adam opened the pouch and poured the gems out onto the counter. The man picked one up, a piece that was over an inch in diameter, and raised it to his eye as he rotated it in his fingers. He glanced at Adam before making a closer examination of the other gems. “Where did you get these?”

“From… a friend.”

“New South Wales,” Michael said.

“New South Wales,” Adam repeated quickly.

“He already knows this; he can tell.” Michael crossed his arms and leaned back against the glass display.

“These are… these are rare,” the man muttered, holding a special magnifying glass to his eye as he peered at the gem in his hand.

“They are?” Adam said, surprised.

“You have a fairly large collection here. I’ll need to get an extra set of hands on this. Sheila? Sheila!” the man yelled.

“Yes, Ron?” a voice called out in an annoying tone. Adam saw the head of a woman poke out from the back room with a slight scowl on her face.

“I need your assistance, please. You’ll want to see this.”

She marched out with a huff. “What is it? Oh—is that? Black opal?”

Adam turned his head and pretended to scratch his nose, shielding his face as he looked to Michael in confusion and mouthed, _‘What the fuck is going on?’_

Sheila propped on the glasses that were dangling from her neck, the same special magnifying glass attached to one of the lenses. She picked one of the gems up and started to examine it. “Great colour. Reds and mauve. You getting that too, Ron?”

“Mm hmm. I told you.” He laughed excitedly.

“Um, do you mind if I look around?” Adam asked, feeling awkward for just standing there.

“Go right ahead,” Ron replied, barely affording him a glance.

Adam strolled around and peeked at some of the cases. Never understanding the appeal for jewellery, he casually glanced around until he spotted something that caught his eye in a display away from the jewellers. “So, that’s an opal?” he said quietly, pointing at a gem that was set in a pendant, azure blue, entwined with a swirl of turquoise and nebulous flecks of iridescent whites, golds, and reds. “It’s pretty.” Adam glanced up at Michael. “Reminds me of you.”

Michael crowded in closer to look and merely hummed.

“You know, because it’s blue like your wings and when you glow.”

Michael shook his head and laughed.

“I’m being serious,” Adam said, his brows gently sweeping upward into a frown. He looked back down at the pendant. “It kinda looks like… you’re staring into the universe. And that’s how I feel,” he flicked his gaze back up at Michael, “when I look at you sometimes.”

Michael smiled at him before averting his eyes.

Adam swore he was blushing. It was a rare thing to see Michael blush because he was _the_ archangel _Michael_. He wasn’t sure if Michael was even capable of it before, but the first time it had happened had Adam spellbound. It was such an unlikely occurrence, that Adam had convinced himself he had misinterpreted it, then it happened a second time, and Adam was practically fawning over him. Witnessing it in an eternally dark environment was cute, but it was even better seeing it under good lighting. Adam wanted to grab Michael’s face and smash his lips against his; he was so fucking cute!

He glanced over at the jewellers at a loud gasp. They had taken a digital scale and callipers out to weigh and measure the gems. Sheila was shining what appeared to be a mini flashlight through one while they both chatted excitedly.

“This is taking longer than I expected,” Adam said with a sigh. He checked the time on his phone; it was close to eleven. Adam patted his stomach as he began to feel hungry, having skipped breakfast. His stomach grumbled as if in response. “Um, excuse me,” he approached them again, “how much longer will this take?”

Ron paused mid laugh to glance at him, seeming to have forgotten he was still there. “Ah, give us another five, ten minutes, tops. We’re almost done.”

Sheila touched Ron on the arm and gave him a silent look. “I think we’re good. We should make an offer,” she said quietly, but loud enough for Adam to hear.

Ron stared at her for a moment before looking back at Adam. “Oh, all right.”

Adam perked up, suddenly feeling a little nervous.

“We’d like to take them all. These look extremely promising.” He paused as he looked Adam over. “How does fifty grand sound to you for the whole lot?”

Adam’s mouth nearly dropped.

“He’s lying.” Michael cut in before Adam could agree. “They’re worth a lot more than that. Ask Sheila.” Michael crossed his arms.

Sheila looked uncomfortable as she kept her eyes down.

“Sheila, was it?” Adam turned to her. “Is that how much they’re really worth? Because I’ve been told the value of… black opals? Are a lot more.”

Sheila frowned before meeting his eyes. She removed her glasses slowly. “Actually, you’re correct, they _are_ worth a lot more than that.”

“Sheila—” Ron started.

“No, Ron, you were trying to undersell this young man. He saw how over the moon we were, as soon as we laid eyes on them.”

Ron nodded quietly, though he looked a little aggravated. “She’s right,” he said with a raise of his brows. “I thought maybe you’d just be a young and dumb kid, but seems I was wrong. How does one hundred grand sound?”

Adam's mouth felt dry, his palms were getting sweaty, and his heart started pumping faster. He glanced over at Michael for assurance, but Michael shook his head. “More. They’re worth more than that and I can take them somewhere else for what they’re worth.” Adam tried to fake his confidence, but he wasn’t sure if he was all that convincing.

“Jesus, Ron!” Sheila pulled out a calculator and punched in some numbers as she worked out the math. “It’d be an estimated one hundred, ninety-two thousand dollars,” she roughly declared. “But for wholesale’s sake, would it be all right if we reduced it to one-ninety?” She looked at Adam almost apologetically.

Adam glanced to Michael again. This time, the angel nodded.

“O-okay,” Adam replied, barely able to speak. He ran his palms over his jeans to wipe off the sweat.

“Ron, cut him the _cheque,”_ she practically snarled. Ron frowned as he pulled out a large, leather chequebook, but didn’t cause a fuss about it. “Honey, we’re gonna need to get some details from you,” Sheila said, looking at Adam calmly. “What’s your name?”

“Adam—” he squeaked. He cleared his throat before proceeding in his normal, albeit, shaky register, “Adam Milligan.” He provided his ID to make it easier for her and shared his banking details. Sheila wired a deposit of ten thousand dollars into his account to ensure him that they had the funds and had the remainder written out in a cheque.

As soon as Adam stepped out, his legs gave way, but he’d braced his arm out against the building's wall to keep himself from completely falling. He heaved heavily as he stared at the cheque that he held in his shaking hand.

“Adam,” Michael stood in front of him with furrowed brows and concern in his eyes, “are you all right?”

 _“Whoa,"_ he breathed. He sank down against the wall and stared at the words written on the little piece of paper. “I thought I was only gonna get five hundred bucks from that. I’ve never seen so much money before. Maybe I should switch majors and get into the gemstone business,” he joked, looking up at Michael with a smile. “And I might need a milkshake. I think I’m getting hypoglycemic.”

Michael crouched down in front of him. “Do you want me to take you?”

Adam nodded.

They found a diner and ordered a brunch special and milkshake in celebration for his victory. Adam had guzzled down half of his shake before his food arrived. “You’re not lecturing me for once?” Adam teased Michael from across the booth.

“You need the sugar.”

“Well, if that’s the only way to get you to stop nagging me, bring on the hypoglycemia!” Adam motioned with his arms.

“Please don’t rationalise one unhealthy habit with another.” Michael didn’t look all too pleased.

Adam laughed. “Well, it really was your fault I didn’t have breakfast.”

Michael sighed, unable to argue with that.

Adam cheerfully thanked the server when his food arrived and dug in, his cheeks bulging with hash browns and eggs as he chewed. “I’m so happy you’re here for my birthday,” he said, smiling.

“As am I.” Michael returned the soft looks. “So, do I get to see them come out and sing for you?” He glanced across the diner to a couple of the servers.

Adam snorted. “Are you nuts? Firstly, I’m not five. Secondly, that’s embarrassing.”

“You always mentioned how excited you’d get when that happened.”

“Yeah, up until I was nine. Once I hit double digits, I was _way_ too cool for that,” he said playfully, slurping his milkshake loudly. Michael smiled at him with amusement.

“Hi, just checking to see how your meal’s going,” the waitress said as she passed by. “Do you need anything else?”

“Everything’s great, thanks.” Adam picked up his fork and paused. “Actually,” he glanced over at Michael briefly as the waitress stopped in her steps and turned around, “do you have any birthday specials here?”

She smiled. “Is it your birthday?”

“Um, yeah.” He smiled, sheepishly.

“I’ll just need to see your ID to confirm that, please. Restaurant’s policy,” she added, cheerfully.

“Of course.” He pulled it out of his wallet and handed it to her. “Here you go.”

She glanced at it briefly before returning it back to him. “Looks like you got yourself a free meal. Happy nineteenth birthday, Adam.”

“Thanks.” _Nineteen._ The age he thought he’d never reach. It was easy to accept his life had ended at eighteen; he was happy for a brief moment in heaven. But to get a second chance? To finally get to live past eighteen? He’d waited forever for that to happen, and for all that waiting, things fell a little flat. “Here’s to finally turning nineteen,” he said with a sigh, his tone and expression bittersweet.

“Happy birthday, Adam.” Michael watched him contently as Adam shovelled the last bits of food into his mouth, the smallest quirk of a smile on his lips.

He peered across at Michael and beamed. “Happy Michaelmas, Michael.” He laughed as Michael rolled his eyes. As he wiped his mouth, something caught from the corner of his eye, causing him to do a double take across the diner. “Oh, no…” His reaction was enough to make Michael swivel in his seat and look over his shoulder.

The waitress, joined by two others, was holding a plate with a sliced piece of cake, lit with a single candle. As they loudly and merrily made their way to his table, they sang, _Happy Birthday._

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Adam glanced at Michael warily.

“Hmm, very much so,” Michael said, his teeth glinting from behind his grin. Adam sat in his booth and dreaded the onslaught as the servers advanced, eventually swarming him and strategically blocking him from making a safe exit. The waitress set the plate down in front of him as they sang the last ‘happy birthday’, ending it all with triumphant applause and cheering.

“Make a wish!” she cried.

Adam smiled out of embarrassment, feeling the entire diner watching him. He blew the candle out as they hollered around him.

“Did you make a wish?” Michael asked, watching him.

“Don’t need to, because I already got what I want. You’re here.” Adam smiled softly across at Michael before freezing, realising the servers were still at his tableside. They stared at him, confusion clearly written across their faces. He turned to them slowly. “…You’re all here… doing such a great job with the service! And-and, the food’s great!” He was quick to say with a big smile. “An easy five stars on Yelp!” he said, raising his cell phone.

They smiled and retreated, although it didn’t stop the two women from whispering to each other and giving him another odd glance from over their shoulders.

Adam buried his face in his hands and groaned. “I _really_ need to be more careful around people.”

“What you said before, did you really mean that?” Michael asked.

Adam lifted his face and smiled. “I did.”

“Hmm. I’d hardly think this place is deserving of a five star rating.” Michael smoothed the countertop, then proceeded to rub his index and middle fingers against his thumb, scrutinising whatever grime he’d picked up.

“Michael!” Adam half scowled and half laughed out of exasperation at him.

Michael stopped and chuckled at him, softly. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d rather be with you, any day of the year.”

Adam focused on the cake as he carved a piece out of it with his fork and nodded, a poor attempt at acting aloof as a smile cracked out. “Are you not needed in heaven right now?” he asked, carefully. He chewed the dense cake slowly.

“I’m always needed,” Michael said with a sigh. “They’ll be fine without me for a couple of hours.” He offered Adam a reassuring smile.

* * *

They stopped at a bank afterwards to deposit his cheque. Given that it was a large sum, Adam was told he would have to wait a few business days before he would see it appear in his account.

He had just enough time to return to campus for his afternoon classes.

“Thank you, for everything,” he said to Michael as he stood by his dorm room door, voice soft and expression sincerely earnest.

“It’s always my pleasure,” Michael replied with a smile, his tone matching Adam’s. He touched the side of Adam’s face, and Adam held him there as he turned to kiss his palm fervently. Adam blinked rapidly and shut his eyes. “Till the next time, my love?” Michael’s thumb caressed his cheek.

Adam slowly raised his glassy eyes to him and nodded. “Always.” His smile was filled with happiness and sorrow.

Michael vanished before his eyes and he was left standing alone, clutching his own hand to his face.

* * *

Three days later, Adam received an email on his phone as he was leaving for his next class. He picked up his bag off the floor and tapped on the alert. It was a notification from his bank with a happy message that his cheque had cleared and his money was deposited. Adam stared at his new balance of $190,000.

 _“Holy shit!”_ he whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!
> 
> [snickers salad](https://dinnerthendessert.com/snickers-salad/) is a real thing, and i want to make it one day. it's funny, bc i actually came across this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlNFuv6WZZY) before realising it's a minnesotan thing? and then realising that ADAM is minnesotan afterwards?? just makes it. too perfect??? you BET he grew on up on that stuff. just like hotdish! :)
> 
> for ppl who've been reading my fic live blogs, yes, now you understand the context of that whole, 'sugar daddy' line XD. i mean, technically, he's not wrong... ;).
> 
> i originally thought michael was going to get him diamonds, but they aren't so rare any more. so looking up the rarest and most expensive gemstones, black opals came up, and omg... they are GORGEOUS. some seriously DO look like you're staring into the [universe](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/de/50/57de50350e0ba522ed6b9f59a63f6953.jpg) [if i had found this pic first, i'd have used this as the reference instead, lol, but [this one](https://res.cloudinary.com/fleetnation/image/private/c_fit,w_1120/g_south,l_text:style_gothic2:%C2%A9%20PIXELS%20XPOSED%20-%20PHOTOGRAPHY%20,o_20,y_10/g_center,l_watermark4,o_25,y_50/v1573948354/pqxnijprrl9qlbpxzyed.jpg) was the one i used. it's still very gorgeous.] this makes me want to buy an opal now D:.
> 
> can you believe adam was playing hacky sack with almost $200k worth of gems?? XD and almost DROPPED it???? :'D
> 
> also, i'm pretty sure jewellers/places that buy gemstones don't actually pay that large sum out in full, and probably pay in installments, but i wanted adam to get a huge amount of cash all at once bc it's his bday and he deserves it D:.
> 
> let me know your thoughts in the comments down below! i love and appreciate all of them! :)
> 
> if you're enjoying the series, let me know if you'd like to be tagged in future posts on my [tumblr](https://seagullmichael.tumblr.com/), consider subscribing and bookmarking this fic, or subscribe and bookmark the [A/part](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795276) series so you don't miss any future updates!
> 
> come bother me at my tumblr! :) [seagullmichael](https://seagullmichael.tumblr.com/)


	3. Soul Sickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam gets sick. _Really_ sick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG!!! i can't believe it's already the end of this fic!!! D: didn't that seem like this went so fast?? thanks so much to everyone who've been following this fic and series and leaving me all your kudos and comments! they've been so wonderful to read! :)
> 
> thank you to my beta, kat! [[fantastikitty7](https://fantastikitty7.tumblr.com/)] you've been such an extraordinary help with this! [i'll need to do some serious outlining but, are you ready for the next part?? 😬]

With the turn of colder weather, and less than two weeks of classes remaining, stress levels were running high and students were starting to get sick. Adam had felt a tickle develop in the back of his throat a week before Thanksgiving break, and three days in, he was full blown hacking, getting hot and cold flashes, chills, and cold sweats. He could barely keep food down because he was almost always nauseous, often throwing up the little that he did manage. But, he pushed through and still attended his classes, only finding time to see a doctor when school finally closed for break.

He’d expected to be told that he had a stomach bug or the flu, maybe get a test done, and a prescription for an antiviral drug. Instead, he’d almost been sent home with nothing but the advice of ‘get lots of bed rest’ and ‘drink plenty of fluids’ when he had a coughing fit and hacked up blood. The doctor immediately ran a number of tests on him and had him hooked up to an IV because, apparently, he was also dehydrated. After having a tube stuck in his arm for three hours, the great conclusion to the doctor’s tests was—nothing. There were no bacterial or viral infections. But his blood results told a different story.

Adam left the hospital for the comforts of his bed, happy to be alone with his misery now that his roommate had gone to visit family for the holidays. He crawled under the covers with the doctor’s last words echoing in his head: _‘…these are levels indicative of kidney and liver failure… I’m sorry, we’ve never seen this before…’_ That was impossible. He was perfectly healthy a week ago. How could he have gone from having no symptoms at all, to being in the late stages of these diseases? Adam was feverish as he lay shivering in bed, recalling how this ‘cold’ had started out similarly to his last one. But he had gotten better, and it had never progressed to this level or that quickly. He wondered if it had to do with a possible side effect leaving hell and the Cage. Maybe his body was finally catching up to his age. He couldn’t think of any other reasonable explanation other than this being an influence of the supernatural.

Sleep for the next couple nights was fitful. Adam would often wake up throughout the night coughing up more blood. He had a box of saltine crackers on his nightstand, because that was the only food he could keep down, and a few bottles of sports drinks that he’d sip on occasionally to keep himself hydrated. It had gotten to the point he had trouble walking a few steps without actually collapsing. Thankfully, he hadn’t gone far and managed to crawl back to bed, ending up staying there for the remainder of the night. As a last resort, he scrolled through the contacts on his phone and dialled one of the numbers. The line picked up after a couple of rings.

“Hello?” Sam’s clear and baritone voice answered with a pause. “Adam, um, Happy Thanksgiving.”

Coughing, Adam wheezed in a painful breath before managing to answer. “Hey, Sam,” he croaked. “Not so happy or thankful on my end,” he said weakly with another cough.

“Adam, are you all right?” The concern in Sam’s voice was evident.

“I’m… I’m not.” He decided to forego the sass for once if he was going to ask for help. “Something’s wrong with me.”

“Did you see a doctor? Do you need someone to take you?”

“I already did, but he… he doesn’t know what it is.” Adam coughed between breaths. “This isn’t normal, Sam. I can’t leave my bed.”

“Okay, don’t worry. I’ll have Cas come get you. Hang tight, okay?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

A minute had barely passed after they’d hung up when Castiel suddenly appeared in his room, wings fluttering and papers rustling in his wake.

Castiel angled his head as he took one look at him and frowned. “Adam?”

Adam was lying on his side as he peered up at him with a weak smile. “Hey, assbutt.” He coughed again, this time blood trickled down his chin. He wiped it off with the back of his hand.

“Where’s Michael?” Castiel narrowed his eyes at him, confused.

Adam swallowed, grimacing from the pain. “You can tell? We agreed… he had to go back and rule heaven… because, as you know, there’s a vacancy… in the God department, and… he’s the next best thing.” He wheezed shallowly between every few words, sometimes coughing.

Castiel took a couple steps closer as he studied him for a bit. “This has been going on for some time now?”

“It’s been a week. I was sick before, but I got better. Never… never like this.” All Adam could taste was the blood in his mouth as he gritted his teeth. He laughed bitterly. “I’m dying, aren’t I? How fucking ironic.”

Castiel leaned forward and placed his fingers to Adam’s forehead, causing Adam to shut his eyes as a tingling warmth washed over him. He gasped as his lungs opened up and he could breathe again; the pain had ebbed down to a dull throb before vanishing altogether. Castiel withdrew his hand as Adam opened his eyes.

“Thanks,” Adam said, sitting up, his blanket nestling in his lap. “So can you tell what’s wrong with me? Is this some kind of… side effect with Michael gone?”

Castiel studied him quietly, a similar attribute he shared with the archangel. “I’ve never seen this happen to a human before. Angels should be the only ones affected, and yet…”

Adam’s eyes widened in alarm, his back tensing. “What? What is it?”

“…Grace sickness. When vesselled angels suffer a large loss of their grace, they go through a gradual process of deterioration—coughing, sweating, nausea, hot and cold flashes, shivering, vomiting, weakness, pain—”

Adam ticked off each corresponding symptom he had had on his mental checklist.

“This eventually renders them human until they heal or find a replacement for their grace. But you—you’re human.” Castiel’s eyes narrowed in thought.

“Then how the hell did I catch this if it only affects angels?” Adam asked, his voice rising slightly in pitch and volume.

“With the amount of time you’ve spent with Michael as his vessel, it appears that a part of his grace has inexplicably entwined with your soul.”

Adam lowered his eyes and blinked as he tried to collect his thoughts. He wet his lips. “So… so you’re saying, that after he left, a part of his grace snapped off inside of me?” he asked, raising his gaze to Castiel.

“In other words, yes.”

Adam frowned, not knowing what to make of this information. “If this results in an angel turning human, what happens to me when I already am one?”

Castiel’s features tensed, almost darkening as the shadows played across his face. “I’m afraid your body alone can’t handle the effects of it. You would ultimately die.”

With a sigh, Adam nodded and turned away. “Just as I thought.”

“However,” Castiel continued; Adam flicked his gaze back up at him, “this small part that’s inside of you is just part of a larger whole. It needs a source for energy.”

“That’s why I got better when Michael visited me again,” Adam whispered as the realisation dawned on him.

“Yes, that would make sense. But when he leaves for longer periods of time—”

“I get sick again.”

Castiel watched him silently. “You need to tell him.”

Adam shook his head. “I can’t,” he said, throwing his hands up. “I can’t tell him to ditch heaven just to save me. He has enough to worry about and deal with already. You said that it’s like a battery that needs recharging, so… so when Michael comes to see me next time, I’ll be fine.”

“But at the risk of your life?” Castiel frowned gravely. “It’ll only get worse each time he leaves.”

Adam grew silent and lowered his head as he frowned, rubbing a palm over his blanket clad thigh out of his growing anxiety.

Castiel sighed. “Wait here.” He vanished for a couple of minutes before snapping back to the same spot, enough to startle Adam that he choked on the Powerade he was drinking. “I have a temporary solution.”

Coughing, Adam’s eyes bulged and he gasped sharply as Castiel dropped the angel blade from his sleeve. He leaned back, trying to distance himself as he avidly tracked the glinting weapon that Castiel raised to his own neck. Realising he wasn’t under any real threat alleviated some of his tension, but Adam watched, morbidly mesmerised as Castiel made a small incision along his own throat. Instead of blood, a bluish, glowing line of light appeared and Castiel raised a small, glass vial to his neck; his grace streamed out from his cut like a neon vapour and flowed into it. When it was filled, Castiel sealed it with the cap, one that was affixed to a black cord so that it could be worn as a pendant on a necklace. Castiel healed his wound with a quick swipe of his fingers.

“Here,” Castiel stepped forward, offering it to him, “keep this on you.” Adam looked down at the swirling grace in his palm. “This should suppress any future flare-ups. But this isn’t a permanent fix.” Adam raised his head and looked at him. “I’m not sure how long the effects of my grace will last. You need to tell him," he repeated.

Adam paused before nodding. “I will. Thank you, Castiel. Could you—could you keep this between us? Tell Dean and Sam it was some… mutated strain of the flu? And you healed me?” He looked hopeful.

With a small frown, Castiel eventually nodded. “Take care, Adam.” And with that, he was gone.

Adam stared at the glowing grace in the dark, then pulled the necklace on over his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you everyone for taking the time to read this! [did anyone catch what i did with this and the previous titles, yet? ;)]
> 
> as i've mentioned before, this story was in between being a timestamp and a regular fic. this doesn't sound like an ending at all. BUT, this idea occurred to me, that with them being together for so long, and michael housed inside of adam, his grace was BOUND to have some lingering effects on him. michael's grace mingling with adam's soul just made sense! i kinda associate it to transplants--when two different tissues are put side-by-side long enough, they merge, lol. it's funny bc after i had this idea in the works, i also saw someone mention something similar in a midam post and i was all like !!!!! we all share the same brain cell!!! seriously!!
> 
> for the next part of the series, it gets a bit serious. the subject matter might be too real for some, and i can understand if it may be triggering or put someone off from reading it, but i feel like it's a topic that isn't brought up enough or has the right representation. i will of course tag it appropriately so that readers can decide if they want to continue reading the story or not. i hope you'll stick around afterwards, though, bc after that very serious bit, the series does take a huge leap into the future and one HUGE surprise will take place. that's one of the things i'm most looking forward to, ngl, lol. 😬
> 
> let me know your thoughts down below? was i evil for putting adam through more hell? [ahem, yes.] any predictions for his future? michael's? the both of theirs? hope y'all are doing well, and hope to see you in the next installment! :)
> 
> come yell and bother me at my tumblr! [seagullmichael](https://seagullmichael.tumblr.com/)


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